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HandloomPochampally Ikat products get QR-code tags HandloomShortage of weavers despite GI tag leaves Kasaragod Saree hanging by a thread WeaversMinistry of Textiles to Celebrate 12th National Handloom Day on August 7 WeaversPM Modi calls upon people to celebrate National Handloom Day by showcasing India’s rich handloom heritage HandloomA first look into RmKV’s newest collection at weaves & wonders ’26 WeavesMatières Fécales makes history at Paris Fashion Week with 99 models of colour—and a bold Banarasi touch HandloomSiddipet weaver revives five-decade-old Muthyampet saree WeaversPresident Murmu to grace 12th National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7 WeaversHandloom Bazaar Showcases Andhra’s Craft Heritage: NTR District Collector WeavesUP traditional foods, Banarasi textiles draw buyers at int’l trade show HandloomPochampally Ikat products get QR-code tags HandloomShortage of weavers despite GI tag leaves Kasaragod Saree hanging by a thread WeaversMinistry of Textiles to Celebrate 12th National Handloom Day on August 7 WeaversPM Modi calls upon people to celebrate National Handloom Day by showcasing India’s rich handloom heritage HandloomA first look into RmKV’s newest collection at weaves & wonders ’26 WeavesMatières Fécales makes history at Paris Fashion Week with 99 models of colour—and a bold Banarasi touch HandloomSiddipet weaver revives five-decade-old Muthyampet saree WeaversPresident Murmu to grace 12th National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7 WeaversHandloom Bazaar Showcases Andhra’s Craft Heritage: NTR District Collector WeavesUP traditional foods, Banarasi textiles draw buyers at int’l trade show

Pallu

Fibres

Silk, cotton, tussar, muga, linen, georgette and the rest: what a saree is made of, and how the cloth is woven, drawn here as a weave diagram.

Silk sareesMulberry silk: Kanchipuram, Banarasi, Mysore, Paithani and the other great silks, light and bright.87

Cotton sareesHandspun and mill cotton, crisp or soft: the saree of the working day and of the hot months.92

Tussar sareesWild silk with a golden, grainy hand, woven in Bhagalpur, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.12

Muga sareesAssam's golden silk, which gains its sheen with every wash.3

Eri sareesAssam's peace silk, warm and soft, spun from cocoons the moth has left.5

Linen sareesFlax cloth, cool and crisp, woven into sarees in Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere.5

Georgette sareesSheer, crinkled and light, made to fall in soft folds.3

Chiffon sareesA sheer, floating plain weave, the favourite of the printed party saree.1

Organza sareesCrisp, sheer and stiff enough to hold a shape.1

Net sareesAn open mesh, worked with embroidery, sequins or appliqué.1

Crepe sareesA pebbled, slightly heavy cloth that drapes close.1

Wool and pashminaWarm sarees and wraps of the hills, from Kashmir to the north-east.12

Synthetic sareesPolyester, nylon and viscose: affordable, bright and easy to care for.9

Blended sareesCotton-silk, silk-linen and other mixes that borrow the best of each fibre.9

The weekly drape

Every Monday: seven sarees you may not know, what is being worn this week, and one drape explained step by step.